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Rainbow Brite #1
Rainbow Brite: Digest Edition
The adventure begins for children and adults alike, as the classic character Rainbow Brite comes to comics and brings a little color to your life!
Wisp and Willow are best friends who live in a small town. They are inseparable, until one night Wisp discovers something is stealing the color from the world! To escape their grasp, Wisp must use her wits and the help of a new friend...from somewhere else! Then the adventure begins!
Follow along with writer Jeremy Whitley (My Little Pony, Unstoppable Wasp) and artist Brittney Williams (Patsy Walker, A.K.A. Hellcat!, Goldie Vance) as we find out how this seemingly normal girl becomes Rainbow Brite and how it changes Wisp, Willow, and their world!
Contains all five of the Rainbow Brite comics and a gallery of Rainbow Brite cover art
Wisp and Willow are best friends who live in a small town. They are inseparable, until one night Wisp discovers something is stealing the color from the world! To escape their grasp, Wisp must use her wits and the help of a new friend...from somewhere else! Then the adventure begins!
Follow along with writer Jeremy Whitley (My Little Pony, Unstoppable Wasp) and artist Brittney Williams (Patsy Walker, A.K.A. Hellcat!, Goldie Vance) as we find out how this seemingly normal girl becomes Rainbow Brite and how it changes Wisp, Willow, and their world!
Contains all five of the Rainbow Brite comics and a gallery of Rainbow Brite cover art
120 pages, Paperback
First published July 2, 2019
7 people are currently reading
171 people want to read
About the author
Jeremy Whitley
411 books335 followersJeremy Whitley is the son of two teachers and the husband of a third.
Born in La Mesa, CA, Jeremy went to high school in Lenoir, NC and college at The University of North Carolina. He graduated with a Bachelors in English, and a minor in Creative Writing.
Jeremy lives in Durham, North Carolina with his wife Alicia and his two daughters Zuri and Amara.
Jeremy is the writer/creator of the comic series Princeless, Raven the Pirate Princess, School for Extraterrestrial Girls, and The Dog Knight. He is also the writer of the acclaimed Marvel series "The Unstoppable Wasp". His other works include extensive work for Marvel, the "Sea of Thieves" comics, and over sixty issues of My Little Pony comics.
Awards and Nominations:
3 time Glyph Winner
5 time Glyph Nominee
2 time Eisner Nominee
2 time Cyblis Nominee
2 time Bloomer Nominee
1 time Most Likely to Succeed Winner
Born in La Mesa, CA, Jeremy went to high school in Lenoir, NC and college at The University of North Carolina. He graduated with a Bachelors in English, and a minor in Creative Writing.
Jeremy lives in Durham, North Carolina with his wife Alicia and his two daughters Zuri and Amara.
Jeremy is the writer/creator of the comic series Princeless, Raven the Pirate Princess, School for Extraterrestrial Girls, and The Dog Knight. He is also the writer of the acclaimed Marvel series "The Unstoppable Wasp". His other works include extensive work for Marvel, the "Sea of Thieves" comics, and over sixty issues of My Little Pony comics.
Awards and Nominations:
3 time Glyph Winner
5 time Glyph Nominee
2 time Eisner Nominee
2 time Cyblis Nominee
2 time Bloomer Nominee
1 time Most Likely to Succeed Winner
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
July 25, 2019
A Rainbow Brite origin graphic novel?
Yes Please!
Sadly, this didn't work for me.
The illustrations, story, and Rainbow Land characters all fell flat.
I may also be slightly bitter since Canary Yellow wasn't in it and she was always my favourite.
Thanks to NetGalley and Diamond Book Distributors for my DRC.
Yes Please!
Sadly, this didn't work for me.
The illustrations, story, and Rainbow Land characters all fell flat.
I may also be slightly bitter since Canary Yellow wasn't in it and she was always my favourite.
Thanks to NetGalley and Diamond Book Distributors for my DRC.
July 28, 2019
While I know for sure that I watched Rainbow Brite while I was growing up in the 80’s, the memory that stayed with me all of these years has been the merchandise, not the cartoon. I have fond memories of playing with this as a kid
I was still interested in taking a trip down memory lane, even though my memory appears foggy at best where Rainbow Brite and her friends from the colour wheel are concerned.
Wisp and Willow have had a fun day role playing as warrior and wizard. That night Wisp hears something outside.
I found the language disparate at times. Shortly after Wisp was calling the shadow hound a “doggy” Twinkle was spouting words like “disinclination” and giving lessons on prisms and wavelengths, making me wonder what age the target audience was supposed to be.
Incorporating issues 1 through 5, Volume 1 begins Rainbow Brite’s origin story and naturally ends with a cliffhanger. I was reintroduced to a lot of characters I haven’t thought about in decades and enjoyed the action. While I could leave the story at this point, even with so much up in the air, I expect I will read Volume 2 when it becomes available at the library.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Dynamite Entertainment and Diamond Book Distributors for the opportunity to read this graphic novel. I’m rounding up from 3.5 stars.
and can even remember the way the shiny part of her dress felt. I suspect this cartoon was also responsible for me rocking some pretty impressive rainbow shoelaces at the time. Yet when I found the theme song and searched it for sparks of recognition I came away with barely a flicker.
I was still interested in taking a trip down memory lane, even though my memory appears foggy at best where Rainbow Brite and her friends from the colour wheel are concerned.
Wisp and Willow have had a fun day role playing as warrior and wizard. That night Wisp hears something outside.
Or maybe that’s three somethings. Minions of the King of Shadows, to be more specific. These guys are leeching all of the colour from Wisp and Willow’s world, starting with blue, which Wisp’s mother’s car was pre-minion. Twinkle the sprite appears and isn’t quite as cute or cuddly looking as I remember.
They also seemed a tad too focused on educating Wisp about etiquette and grammar while she was being chased by the massive minions and their glowing eyes. Anyway, Twinkle magics Wisp off to Rainbow Land, which doesn’t appear to be living up to its name right now.
During their time in Rainbow Land Twinkle and Wisp encounter a shadow hound, Murky Dismal, an evil scientist who cannot be all bad in my books because he has a jet pack fuelled by colour,
and Lurky, Murky’s monster/bodyguard. We also meet Red Flare, a colour guard who is definitely cuter than I expected them to be. They got lost in the 80’s (dude! rad!), appropriate given Rainbow Brite was created that decade. We’re even introduced to Starlite, a talking horse that doesn’t have any problems whatsoever with their self esteem, and some other sprites and colour guards.
I found the language disparate at times. Shortly after Wisp was calling the shadow hound a “doggy” Twinkle was spouting words like “disinclination” and giving lessons on prisms and wavelengths, making me wonder what age the target audience was supposed to be.
Incorporating issues 1 through 5, Volume 1 begins Rainbow Brite’s origin story and naturally ends with a cliffhanger. I was reintroduced to a lot of characters I haven’t thought about in decades and enjoyed the action. While I could leave the story at this point, even with so much up in the air, I expect I will read Volume 2 when it becomes available at the library.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Dynamite Entertainment and Diamond Book Distributors for the opportunity to read this graphic novel. I’m rounding up from 3.5 stars.
July 27, 2019
Yeah...
No way can this be as good as the 80s original...
BUT...Im still gonna read it. It is RAINBOW BRITE after all.
**********************************************
*thank you to Netgalley, Diamond Book Distributors, and the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
"Nobody stars out as a hero"
2.5 stars.
While reading this I had to seperate the two parts of me. One part of me grew up with the original Rainbow Brite from the 80s TV Show. I LOVE LOVE Rainbow Brite and it has a very precious place in my heart. The other part of me knew I had to look at this Graphic Novel as though it was my first introduction to Rainbow Brite.
So I'll start with the side of me that was seeing this for how it is and without my past attachments. The beginning of this seemed to be a bit slow. Not very slow but just enough that it seemed to drag. We are introduced to two characters who are best friends, Willow and Wisp who are busy playing games of make believe. Both characters are interesting enough in their own way but nothing amazing. Further into the book Wisp meets up with a character we find out is a sprite from Rainbow land called Twinkle. But he gets nicknamed Twink (as he is in the original). Twink is an odd looking character who can fly and tries to help Wisp throughout the story. Starlite, a horse with attitude and who is really quite vain. Murky and Lurky, the villains and two of the colour kids. I noticed the diversity that is shown was a nice touch to make this story more modern. But overall, this was a bit too bland and I did find I had to re-read parts. While the pages where Whisp turns into Rainbow Brite are so colourful, it just highlights how dark and plain the rest of the book is. But maybe that was the point. So that the coloured parts would really pop, which they did. I guess it depends on how you look at it.
I also need to point out that the Rainbow Brite on the cover of this, does not match the artwork of how she looks inside the book. That's a bit of a red flag for me. The cover needs to be changed to match the rest of the book. The face of Rainbow Brite is different and the skirt is much shorter.
I didn't really care much for this. It had action which was neither good or a bad thing. But it just didn't grab me.
Ok. So the part of me that grew up with Rainbow Brite and absolutely loved it was really really disappointed. I understand that this was ment to be a modern take on the original but seriously! No. It had none of the magic that the original had. Twink looked awful. There was nothing cute about him. Murky and Lurky were unmemorable. The two colour kids that we meet up with, while I do like the fact that this is where the diversity played a positive part, they didn't act like the original colour kids at all and I just didn't like how they were represented. This was boring for the most part and flat. I did like that the search for the colour belt was used as part of the plot because that was also a big part of the first 2 episodes of the 1984 show. (Which had been put together to be a movie in some countries.) Other than the original artwork at the end of this Graphic Novel, there was not enough in this for those of us who are wanting to read this because of nostalgia. It's a big disappointment.
Overall, if you didn't grow up with Rainbow Brite and have no expectations, then maybe you will like it. But for those of us who do expect this to be a certain way because of the original classic, you will probably be pretty let down.
No way can this be as good as the 80s original...
BUT...Im still gonna read it. It is RAINBOW BRITE after all.
**********************************************
*thank you to Netgalley, Diamond Book Distributors, and the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
"Nobody stars out as a hero"
2.5 stars.
While reading this I had to seperate the two parts of me. One part of me grew up with the original Rainbow Brite from the 80s TV Show. I LOVE LOVE Rainbow Brite and it has a very precious place in my heart. The other part of me knew I had to look at this Graphic Novel as though it was my first introduction to Rainbow Brite.
So I'll start with the side of me that was seeing this for how it is and without my past attachments. The beginning of this seemed to be a bit slow. Not very slow but just enough that it seemed to drag. We are introduced to two characters who are best friends, Willow and Wisp who are busy playing games of make believe. Both characters are interesting enough in their own way but nothing amazing. Further into the book Wisp meets up with a character we find out is a sprite from Rainbow land called Twinkle. But he gets nicknamed Twink (as he is in the original). Twink is an odd looking character who can fly and tries to help Wisp throughout the story. Starlite, a horse with attitude and who is really quite vain. Murky and Lurky, the villains and two of the colour kids. I noticed the diversity that is shown was a nice touch to make this story more modern. But overall, this was a bit too bland and I did find I had to re-read parts. While the pages where Whisp turns into Rainbow Brite are so colourful, it just highlights how dark and plain the rest of the book is. But maybe that was the point. So that the coloured parts would really pop, which they did. I guess it depends on how you look at it.
I also need to point out that the Rainbow Brite on the cover of this, does not match the artwork of how she looks inside the book. That's a bit of a red flag for me. The cover needs to be changed to match the rest of the book. The face of Rainbow Brite is different and the skirt is much shorter.
I didn't really care much for this. It had action which was neither good or a bad thing. But it just didn't grab me.
Ok. So the part of me that grew up with Rainbow Brite and absolutely loved it was really really disappointed. I understand that this was ment to be a modern take on the original but seriously! No. It had none of the magic that the original had. Twink looked awful. There was nothing cute about him. Murky and Lurky were unmemorable. The two colour kids that we meet up with, while I do like the fact that this is where the diversity played a positive part, they didn't act like the original colour kids at all and I just didn't like how they were represented. This was boring for the most part and flat. I did like that the search for the colour belt was used as part of the plot because that was also a big part of the first 2 episodes of the 1984 show. (Which had been put together to be a movie in some countries.) Other than the original artwork at the end of this Graphic Novel, there was not enough in this for those of us who are wanting to read this because of nostalgia. It's a big disappointment.
Overall, if you didn't grow up with Rainbow Brite and have no expectations, then maybe you will like it. But for those of us who do expect this to be a certain way because of the original classic, you will probably be pretty let down.
July 2, 2020
I fully expected this to be trash but it's actually pretty alright. Kinda disappointed that the cover art didn't match the story art. The story itself was fun in a "nothing to watch on TV when your like 14 so you guess you'll watch some kids shows " kinda way.
ℹ Disclosure:
I received an arc copy of this book from Dynamite Entertainment via NetGalley and I’m reviewing it voluntarily.
ℹ Disclosure:
I received an arc copy of this book from Dynamite Entertainment via NetGalley and I’m reviewing it voluntarily.
July 18, 2019
Fun story, but the art was so-so. I did miss the cuteness of the original sprites, they were so huggable. These sprites look like Mr: Mxyzptlk with some extra tufts of fur....
I received a copy through Netgalley, opinions are my own.
I received a copy through Netgalley, opinions are my own.
June 29, 2019
I don’t know what I wanted, but this wasn’t nostalgic for me. It was to modern. Tweens without familiarity to the original characters will probably like this just fine.
May 7, 2023
Overview:
Based off the show Rainbow Brite this book follows Wisp on her adventures to save Rainbow Land. After finding some shadows stealing the colour off her moms car she ends up meeting Twinkle a creature from another planet (or something like that, haha) who is in need of help. And the adventures begin! :)
Thoughts:
I never have actually seen the show Rainbow Brite before (I have only seen pictures) but I enjoyed this book and how they made Wisp older in this book then the original design.
I like the character design and all the artwork included in this book! Which is seen at the end of the book in "Cover Gallery" and also art is seen each introduction to a new chapter.
What drew me to this book originally was the cover art. I find it very beautiful the way they drew Wisp.
I am not sure if another volume will come out or not but I still enjoyed it for what it is. (:
Based off the show Rainbow Brite this book follows Wisp on her adventures to save Rainbow Land. After finding some shadows stealing the colour off her moms car she ends up meeting Twinkle a creature from another planet (or something like that, haha) who is in need of help. And the adventures begin! :)
Thoughts:
I never have actually seen the show Rainbow Brite before (I have only seen pictures) but I enjoyed this book and how they made Wisp older in this book then the original design.
I like the character design and all the artwork included in this book! Which is seen at the end of the book in "Cover Gallery" and also art is seen each introduction to a new chapter.
What drew me to this book originally was the cover art. I find it very beautiful the way they drew Wisp.
I am not sure if another volume will come out or not but I still enjoyed it for what it is. (:
July 4, 2019
As a child who grew up with the original Rainbow Brite I will admit that I was terrified going into this graphic novel! I was very happy to discover that in creating this new origin story for Rainbow Brite and the sprites I didn’t need to lose any of my fond memories, but I also found a new adventure to enjoy!
The only small point of contention I have is that the back of the book mentions introducing children to concepts of Rainbow Brite, which is awesome, but this book does contain a lot of vocabulary that many younger readers might struggle with so be aware that you may need to read it with them and be prepared to help them out. I don’t think this is a negative, just something to be aware of.
Thank you NetGalley for an early copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.
The only small point of contention I have is that the back of the book mentions introducing children to concepts of Rainbow Brite, which is awesome, but this book does contain a lot of vocabulary that many younger readers might struggle with so be aware that you may need to read it with them and be prepared to help them out. I don’t think this is a negative, just something to be aware of.
Thank you NetGalley for an early copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.
April 27, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
I loved Rainbow Brite as a kid. It's actually one of those things that HASN'T be revived that I'm kind of sad about... however, that being said... this was just okay for me. I loved the illustrations but it just wasn't the same as what I loved in my childhood. Do I still want a revival? yes... yes I do... I'm just not sure a graphic novel is where it's at for me. But seriously that cover is so gorgeous!!!
I loved Rainbow Brite as a kid. It's actually one of those things that HASN'T be revived that I'm kind of sad about... however, that being said... this was just okay for me. I loved the illustrations but it just wasn't the same as what I loved in my childhood. Do I still want a revival? yes... yes I do... I'm just not sure a graphic novel is where it's at for me. But seriously that cover is so gorgeous!!!
July 18, 2019
There is so much terrible infodump but the worst is Mantis OGreen...
July 8, 2019
I received a gratis copy of this book via NetGalley.
My thoughts on this Rainbow Brite reboot are complex. First of all, I LOVED Rainbow Brite as a kid. LOVED. It had a major impact on my life. That said, I don't regard it as sacrosanct. A reboot sounds fine by me, so long as it's done well. I always found the original art for Rainbow and the Color Kids to be a bit weird with their body proportions and all. My biggest concern was how Starlite, her horse, would be portrayed, because I loved him most of all.
This graphic novel collects the first cluster of comic books about Rainbow and establishes her back story. I caught a strong She-Ra reboot vibe in how they did this, which is good, since that reboot worked incredibly well. The first issue came across as strong to me: Wisp as an imaginative kid who make-believes she's a knight while her dear friend Willow is her wise wizard companion. I adored the relationship with Willow and her family--it had a wonderful realness to it; also, it's wonderful to see a black family portrayed as intact and so loving. But then Wisp goes home, and during the night witnesses strange monsters stealing the color from her mom's car. She goes to fight them off and ends up running for her life--and escapes with the help of a sprite named Twinkle. She lands in the colorless realm of Rainbow Land, a place at war with a terrible king who is trying to steal all color from the universe.
This is where it began to falter for me. No doubt, the creators of this have to walk a fine line as they try to revive old material in a new way. The problem I had is that they changed the material, but in doing so they often used other stale tropes.
Murky Dismal is the prime example of this. He's a henchman of the king, and in this he's essentially a steampunk mad scientist. His art looks weird-I say that, and I found most of the art to be okay--and he's a pure generic steampunk mad scientist/comic relief. Lurky barely gets a role as the resident mad scientist monster. They aren't like their old versions, really, but neither are they fresh and surprising.
The development of the world feels off, too. The text info dumps in an effort to try to explain everything about how the colors work and what is happening, and it feels clunky. The info could have emerged in a more organic way. While the first issue had me well hooked, I found myself becoming less engaged the more Wisp explored Rainbow Land, which is the opposite of how it should be.
One of the aspects I enjoyed most was how Starlite was portrayed--my biggest concern about the book at all. His artwork is wonderful, and his original arrogance and attitude shine through. I think if I read onward, it would only be to see how his connection with Wisp developed... but I think I'd skim.
Really, this reboot isn't horrible. It just feels very uneven. The magic isn't there, and it should be all about the magic.
My thoughts on this Rainbow Brite reboot are complex. First of all, I LOVED Rainbow Brite as a kid. LOVED. It had a major impact on my life. That said, I don't regard it as sacrosanct. A reboot sounds fine by me, so long as it's done well. I always found the original art for Rainbow and the Color Kids to be a bit weird with their body proportions and all. My biggest concern was how Starlite, her horse, would be portrayed, because I loved him most of all.
This graphic novel collects the first cluster of comic books about Rainbow and establishes her back story. I caught a strong She-Ra reboot vibe in how they did this, which is good, since that reboot worked incredibly well. The first issue came across as strong to me: Wisp as an imaginative kid who make-believes she's a knight while her dear friend Willow is her wise wizard companion. I adored the relationship with Willow and her family--it had a wonderful realness to it; also, it's wonderful to see a black family portrayed as intact and so loving. But then Wisp goes home, and during the night witnesses strange monsters stealing the color from her mom's car. She goes to fight them off and ends up running for her life--and escapes with the help of a sprite named Twinkle. She lands in the colorless realm of Rainbow Land, a place at war with a terrible king who is trying to steal all color from the universe.
This is where it began to falter for me. No doubt, the creators of this have to walk a fine line as they try to revive old material in a new way. The problem I had is that they changed the material, but in doing so they often used other stale tropes.
Murky Dismal is the prime example of this. He's a henchman of the king, and in this he's essentially a steampunk mad scientist. His art looks weird-I say that, and I found most of the art to be okay--and he's a pure generic steampunk mad scientist/comic relief. Lurky barely gets a role as the resident mad scientist monster. They aren't like their old versions, really, but neither are they fresh and surprising.
The development of the world feels off, too. The text info dumps in an effort to try to explain everything about how the colors work and what is happening, and it feels clunky. The info could have emerged in a more organic way. While the first issue had me well hooked, I found myself becoming less engaged the more Wisp explored Rainbow Land, which is the opposite of how it should be.
One of the aspects I enjoyed most was how Starlite was portrayed--my biggest concern about the book at all. His artwork is wonderful, and his original arrogance and attitude shine through. I think if I read onward, it would only be to see how his connection with Wisp developed... but I think I'd skim.
Really, this reboot isn't horrible. It just feels very uneven. The magic isn't there, and it should be all about the magic.
February 15, 2021
As usual, this reboot of an 80s franchise loses all of the charm and innocence of the original and replaces it with... Well, the usual ingredients that are in every other modern cartoon/comic book franchise. Suddenly, everything's all magical girls and grumpy sprites and unnecessarily sassy horses and intergalactic travel and warriors and aliens and edgy character designs that land somewhere between ugly and cute in the same uncanny valley every other character comes from these days.
That's not to say it's bad. I mean, the story seems interesting, and the characters seem fine enough considered in their own right... but these characters, these worlds, and the spirit of this work are all definitely NOT the Rainbow Brite I know and love from my childhood. Sorry, but it's just not.
The Sprites are borderline ugly. Starlite is bitchy. Red Butler is now Red Flash and I will not forgive whoever or whatever was behind the abomination that Patty O'Green has been turned into. One of the BEST characters of the 80s, with her freckles and her braided pigtails and her mischievous grin and bandaged-up knees is now... some sort of tree alien? I don't even know, and I don't even wanna know.
HOWEVER... The covers, alternate covers, and classic artwork contained within the volume are all top notch. The covers look like everything I would WANT a Rainbow Brite reboot to be, the classic artwork is glorious (as one would expect) and the various alternate takes on the classic characters and artwork are all fun to see. I wish, instead of THIS volume, we'd been given a fresh new line-up of original characters in an original world and an artbook of works inspired by the original Rainbow Brite characters. Not this. No, no. Not this.
1 star for trying to kill my childhood. 5 stars for epic art pieces. Averaged out to three stars for a decent enough comic book that would probably try to assimilate me in my sleep and redraw me in Adventure Time style.
That's not to say it's bad. I mean, the story seems interesting, and the characters seem fine enough considered in their own right... but these characters, these worlds, and the spirit of this work are all definitely NOT the Rainbow Brite I know and love from my childhood. Sorry, but it's just not.
The Sprites are borderline ugly. Starlite is bitchy. Red Butler is now Red Flash and I will not forgive whoever or whatever was behind the abomination that Patty O'Green has been turned into. One of the BEST characters of the 80s, with her freckles and her braided pigtails and her mischievous grin and bandaged-up knees is now... some sort of tree alien? I don't even know, and I don't even wanna know.
HOWEVER... The covers, alternate covers, and classic artwork contained within the volume are all top notch. The covers look like everything I would WANT a Rainbow Brite reboot to be, the classic artwork is glorious (as one would expect) and the various alternate takes on the classic characters and artwork are all fun to see. I wish, instead of THIS volume, we'd been given a fresh new line-up of original characters in an original world and an artbook of works inspired by the original Rainbow Brite characters. Not this. No, no. Not this.
1 star for trying to kill my childhood. 5 stars for epic art pieces. Averaged out to three stars for a decent enough comic book that would probably try to assimilate me in my sleep and redraw me in Adventure Time style.
August 21, 2019
ARC via Netgalley. I'm not familiar with the original, but this is an absolutely charming series opener that feels set to appeal to the same kids as She-Ra and Steven Universe. I was a little disappointed that after the amazing opening scenes (a little black girl LARPing as a wizard in the woods with her best friend! her parents both supporting and contributing to their game!) the book focused exclusively on Wisp, the white best friend, but the first volume does end with Willow being pulled into Rainbowland at last, so hopefully the subsequent volumes will have both girls in the spotlight equally. Brittney Williams' art is adorable and just perfect for this age group -- I was so disappointed when Patsy Walker was canceled and she stopped working on Goldie Vance, so I'm really glad to see her illustrating another kids series. There are a few text-heavy scenes (especially about the science of light and color) that might be a little much for kids reading on their own, but they're also lampshaded pretty well as Plot Exposition Infodump and you could still get the gist of the adventure without really understanding the magic system. Looking forward to volume two!
August 20, 2022
Really adorable origin story (or at least part of it) that has a lot of potential. Wisp seems like she will come into her power with the help of some friends, and really, isn’t that just exactly the way we all find our power? Great re-envisioning of the frankly very creepy “children of murderville” look the 80s characters had. (Seriously, they look like they might murder you in your sleep and they’d probably infiltrate your dreams to do it.)
July 24, 2019
I'm an 80's child and liked Rainbow Brite, although she was not my favorite. While this did not satisfy any childhood enjoyment, I do think that kids now would enjoy the artwork and story. I always loved Lurky and it is much harder to like Lurky in this graphic novel (he's just not that cute). Would be interested to see how far the series goes though.
July 21, 2019
I loved Rainbow Brite when I was a kid! This was fun to read. I was originally thrown off by the characters being older than the original, but I think that works well. The back story is fun to read but there was a spark missing from this collection, and awkward parts where certain people and places were introduced in sort of a clunky way. The art was pretty good but I loved the original style and colors much better. Despite each edition having a different illustrator, the art stayed pretty consistent.
September 28, 2024
I wish this was a cool as the cover makes it look. Also I wish she spent more time as Rainbow Brite. I get that they were attempting to set up a series, but this isn’t a character that needs an extended “year one” kind of story.
December 13, 2019
Super cute! Can't wait to see more!
July 11, 2019
I'd like to thank Edelweiss and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. More like 2.5 stars. I grew up with the original Rainbow Brite so I am a little biased. While this was cute I didn't enjoy it as much as though I would nor did I enjoy the graphics of it.
July 12, 2019
I grew up loving this. I enjoyed the new story. I miss the original art style. I shall keep reading them.
July 14, 2019
3.5 stars
I grew up with Rainbow Brite. I was even for book character day in elementary school, complete with a massive yellow yarn wig that I believe one of my older sisters made. So, she was a massive part of my childhood, and I'd somehow missed the memo there was a comic and was presently surprised when this showed up in the truck at work.
This is mostly the Rainbow Brite you remember, and this colors and artwork is fittingly bright and vibrant and is truly a piece of art. I'm not a huge fan of how Twink is drawn (something about the shape of his face is just off to me), and I really enjoyed how this story has new versions of them. The storyline was heavy on the infodumps, but the plot, the characters, are done in such a way that new readers can come into this knowing nothing about Rainbow Brite and enjoy the story; it's definitely written assuming that you know nothing about Rainbow Land. But all the favorite are here--Murky, Lurky, Twink, and, most importantly, Starlite, though his appearance is brief.
This is a great all ages comic for anyone interested in fantasy graphic novels.
I grew up with Rainbow Brite. I was even for book character day in elementary school, complete with a massive yellow yarn wig that I believe one of my older sisters made. So, she was a massive part of my childhood, and I'd somehow missed the memo there was a comic and was presently surprised when this showed up in the truck at work.
This is mostly the Rainbow Brite you remember, and this colors and artwork is fittingly bright and vibrant and is truly a piece of art. I'm not a huge fan of how Twink is drawn (something about the shape of his face is just off to me), and I really enjoyed how this story has new versions of them. The storyline was heavy on the infodumps, but the plot, the characters, are done in such a way that new readers can come into this knowing nothing about Rainbow Brite and enjoy the story; it's definitely written assuming that you know nothing about Rainbow Land. But all the favorite are here--Murky, Lurky, Twink, and, most importantly, Starlite, though his appearance is brief.
This is a great all ages comic for anyone interested in fantasy graphic novels.
March 14, 2020
So sad that it was discontinued...there was a lot of potential, but it was just ok. I think my new favorite color might be ultraviolet. #PLA 2020
August 11, 2019
I received a copy of Rainbow Brite through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Does anybody else remember the Rainbow Brite TV series? Or was it a movie? I can’t remember that much now, but I do remember being completely obsessed with the character when I was little. So I’m not ashamed to admit that I wanted to read this graphic novel in hopes of a heavy dose of nostalgia.
And I wasn’t disappointed. Rainbow Brite was more or less exactly like I remembered, though of course this graphic novel did do a few fun twists with it. A fact that I can appreciate – we can’t have the story going stale now, can we?
This new graphic novel is being marketed towards kids and adults alike. To be honest, I think that a younger audience will appreciate the story more. Us adults will appreciate the memories though, so there’s that.
And in case you’re still wondering, yes, this graphic novel is in fact an origin story of the one and only Rainbow Brite. Take what you will from that.
This story follows Wisp and Willow. Two best friends who have no idea for the adventures that are in store for them. To be honest, their adventures started off as charming, but otherwise fairly slow. It was nice to get a chance to get to know both characters, of course. And I will give bonus points for the larping reference, which was totally unexpected.
This was a fun read, on the whole. I’m not going to pretend that it lived up to the expectations set by my childhood memory. But realistically that was an unfair comparison to begin with. I will be curious to see what new fans think of this tale, without all of the expectations and biases of older fans.
For what it’s worth, I’m happy to have read it. Though I’m not entirely sure that I would continue the series. This was mostly a fun standalone or experience for me.
For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Does anybody else remember the Rainbow Brite TV series? Or was it a movie? I can’t remember that much now, but I do remember being completely obsessed with the character when I was little. So I’m not ashamed to admit that I wanted to read this graphic novel in hopes of a heavy dose of nostalgia.
And I wasn’t disappointed. Rainbow Brite was more or less exactly like I remembered, though of course this graphic novel did do a few fun twists with it. A fact that I can appreciate – we can’t have the story going stale now, can we?
This new graphic novel is being marketed towards kids and adults alike. To be honest, I think that a younger audience will appreciate the story more. Us adults will appreciate the memories though, so there’s that.
And in case you’re still wondering, yes, this graphic novel is in fact an origin story of the one and only Rainbow Brite. Take what you will from that.
This story follows Wisp and Willow. Two best friends who have no idea for the adventures that are in store for them. To be honest, their adventures started off as charming, but otherwise fairly slow. It was nice to get a chance to get to know both characters, of course. And I will give bonus points for the larping reference, which was totally unexpected.
This was a fun read, on the whole. I’m not going to pretend that it lived up to the expectations set by my childhood memory. But realistically that was an unfair comparison to begin with. I will be curious to see what new fans think of this tale, without all of the expectations and biases of older fans.
For what it’s worth, I’m happy to have read it. Though I’m not entirely sure that I would continue the series. This was mostly a fun standalone or experience for me.
For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
June 23, 2024
This juvenile graphic novel of Rainbow Brite features the nostalgic character in a new retelling with a very contemporary vibe, style, and illustrations. It has elements of the original story with a new twist that perhaps new young readers will love, but those who are craving the nostalgia of the original, may be left wanting more.
The story is full of adventure, dangers, and action. There’s quick characterization and the world is built as the story moves along. This can be disorienting for some readers, but having pictures to coincide with the story certainly helps fill in the blanks too. It’s a cute, fun story!
I personally liked the transitional art better than the actual illustrations of the story, and I wanted to see more of Willow in the story besides just the beginning and end. I wish the ending has more closure because even for a cliff-hanger, that’s very open-ended and leaves a lot to question. I loved the nostalgic art in the back and wish there had been more of that throughout the story.
I recommend this for nostalgic readers who don’t mind a new take and approach this with an open-mind. I also think young readers who want to better understand who Rainbow Brite is without watching the old show, can find context in here to connect with that too. I loved the color elements and Wisp’s character development so far, so I’m hoping to see more of that in the next one too.
The story is full of adventure, dangers, and action. There’s quick characterization and the world is built as the story moves along. This can be disorienting for some readers, but having pictures to coincide with the story certainly helps fill in the blanks too. It’s a cute, fun story!
I personally liked the transitional art better than the actual illustrations of the story, and I wanted to see more of Willow in the story besides just the beginning and end. I wish the ending has more closure because even for a cliff-hanger, that’s very open-ended and leaves a lot to question. I loved the nostalgic art in the back and wish there had been more of that throughout the story.
I recommend this for nostalgic readers who don’t mind a new take and approach this with an open-mind. I also think young readers who want to better understand who Rainbow Brite is without watching the old show, can find context in here to connect with that too. I loved the color elements and Wisp’s character development so far, so I’m hoping to see more of that in the next one too.
July 20, 2019
OH. MY. GAWD. How fantastic was THAT?!! My inner 80s child is squealing with delight, that was so good.
And I completely agree with the reviews on the back saying that this work is the perfect way to introduce young readers to Rainbow Brite and to delight old fans back into the story. And what a story!! Intelligent, sharp, witty, fantastic characters (I absolutely adore Willow and Wisp), high adventure, girl power, and miles of heart. Rainbow Brite the graphic novel edition does something that can be quite hard for re-makes to achieve: they've made a story that's better than the original.
There. I said it. And you know what? I don't regret it. This novel is AMAZING.
The back story Whitley and Williams create for Rainbow Brite and rainbow land is well constructed and thought out. It's engaging, fast paced, and utterly wonderful. Old fans will love the moments when they reconnect with familiar faces and new fans will quickly fall in love with each new character they meet. And for those of you who are rediscovering this world with your child, get ready for the cover gallery at the back! Classic Rainbow Brite illustrations will greet you and you'll quickly find yourself grinning like an idiot, naming each character, and then scrounging around in old boxes to see if you have your old VHS tapes of the original.
Fabulous work! Can't wait for the next one!
And I completely agree with the reviews on the back saying that this work is the perfect way to introduce young readers to Rainbow Brite and to delight old fans back into the story. And what a story!! Intelligent, sharp, witty, fantastic characters (I absolutely adore Willow and Wisp), high adventure, girl power, and miles of heart. Rainbow Brite the graphic novel edition does something that can be quite hard for re-makes to achieve: they've made a story that's better than the original.
There. I said it. And you know what? I don't regret it. This novel is AMAZING.
The back story Whitley and Williams create for Rainbow Brite and rainbow land is well constructed and thought out. It's engaging, fast paced, and utterly wonderful. Old fans will love the moments when they reconnect with familiar faces and new fans will quickly fall in love with each new character they meet. And for those of you who are rediscovering this world with your child, get ready for the cover gallery at the back! Classic Rainbow Brite illustrations will greet you and you'll quickly find yourself grinning like an idiot, naming each character, and then scrounging around in old boxes to see if you have your old VHS tapes of the original.
Fabulous work! Can't wait for the next one!
November 9, 2019
Rainbow Brite is reimagined and updated in this charming comic. The original TV series had a number of whimsical elements that appealed to me but I could never fully embrace it. This comic reboot gets it right at last by going for a Japanese magical girl-inspired origin and aesthetic with Wisp being an ordinary girl who transforms into Rainbow Brite to save the day (I guess Wisp combined with Brian?). The beginning so far loosely follows the original series opener with Wisp being called upon to liberate Rainbowland from the King of Shadows.
Jeremy Whitley does a fine job brinning Rainbow Brite back for a new audience. There's nothing groundbreaking about the writing, but it's fun and a bit more down-to-Earth than the original. The artwork is a lot of fun; I love the new character designs (Lurky might be the only one where I prefer the original but the slightly more menacing look he has here makes sense) and the look is constantly cute and sweet throughout.
Diversitywise, Wisp's best friend Willow is Black and she's been set up as another Color Kid (Indigo?). There are no LGBT characters.
All in all, a very satisfying update on an old brand. I'd love to see where this goes.
Jeremy Whitley does a fine job brinning Rainbow Brite back for a new audience. There's nothing groundbreaking about the writing, but it's fun and a bit more down-to-Earth than the original. The artwork is a lot of fun; I love the new character designs (Lurky might be the only one where I prefer the original but the slightly more menacing look he has here makes sense) and the look is constantly cute and sweet throughout.
Diversitywise, Wisp's best friend Willow is Black and she's been set up as another Color Kid (Indigo?). There are no LGBT characters.
All in all, a very satisfying update on an old brand. I'd love to see where this goes.
July 16, 2019
A huge thank you to NetGalley, Jeremy Whitley, Brittney Williams, and Diamond Book Distributors for the opportunity to read Rainbow Brite (Vol. 1) in exchange for an honest review.
I requested this because NOSTALGIA! Rainbow Brite was the show of my two-year-old days. I have seen a few Rainbow Brite merchandise items pop up here and there over the years, but recently I have seen it making a comeback, and this comic is perfect for fans of the original show or those new to the world of Rainbow Brite.
While I found the beginning a bit slow for me, that is because I was itching to see Rainbow Brite make her appearance (as Rainbow Brite and not Wisp, of course). I love this new art style for the characters and the sprites. It was utterly exciting seeing two of her different outfits, seeing the beautiful artist rendition of the horse, Starlite, and the beauty and fun of the story has me eagerly awaiting the next volume.
I also greatly enjoyed the cover variants with some of the original character art in comparison to what they look like now. As a long-time Rainbow Brite fan, I am extensively satisfied and excited about this comic!
I requested this because NOSTALGIA! Rainbow Brite was the show of my two-year-old days. I have seen a few Rainbow Brite merchandise items pop up here and there over the years, but recently I have seen it making a comeback, and this comic is perfect for fans of the original show or those new to the world of Rainbow Brite.
While I found the beginning a bit slow for me, that is because I was itching to see Rainbow Brite make her appearance (as Rainbow Brite and not Wisp, of course). I love this new art style for the characters and the sprites. It was utterly exciting seeing two of her different outfits, seeing the beautiful artist rendition of the horse, Starlite, and the beauty and fun of the story has me eagerly awaiting the next volume.
I also greatly enjoyed the cover variants with some of the original character art in comparison to what they look like now. As a long-time Rainbow Brite fan, I am extensively satisfied and excited about this comic!
September 16, 2022
Read out of nostalgia!
I don't remember if we got the animated series in Italy. After checking with Wikipedia, yes, we had it. Don't remember if I watched it, though. It was called Iridella, from iris. I still have Rainbow Brite's doll and also the green sprite and some other merchandise somewhere.
So, lots of nostalgia that crashed against this modern version of the characters.
First, there's too much text and too many explanations. It was so boring at times. In addition, I have to say that I bought the Kindle version of the first issues because I was so curious about it and... I couldn't read it, not even on my computer, because the text was too tiny.
Secondly, I dislike the new characters so much. They felt bland and uninteresting.
Third, the guardians were completely different and meh, why do they have to be alien?
Fourth, the art felt... meh all the time. Even in the gallery at the end of the volume, the better pictures were those coming from the 1980s. The modern take on Rainbow Brite seemed ridiculous in comparison.
Sigh, I wish it was less modern...
I don't remember if we got the animated series in Italy. After checking with Wikipedia, yes, we had it. Don't remember if I watched it, though. It was called Iridella, from iris. I still have Rainbow Brite's doll and also the green sprite and some other merchandise somewhere.
So, lots of nostalgia that crashed against this modern version of the characters.
First, there's too much text and too many explanations. It was so boring at times. In addition, I have to say that I bought the Kindle version of the first issues because I was so curious about it and... I couldn't read it, not even on my computer, because the text was too tiny.
Secondly, I dislike the new characters so much. They felt bland and uninteresting.
Third, the guardians were completely different and meh, why do they have to be alien?
Fourth, the art felt... meh all the time. Even in the gallery at the end of the volume, the better pictures were those coming from the 1980s. The modern take on Rainbow Brite seemed ridiculous in comparison.
Sigh, I wish it was less modern...
July 10, 2019
I will admit I have been a little trepidation about this book. I did not want my childhood stomped on and ruined in my memory forever. But my fears have all been put to rest as this revision of a childhood classics is absolutely wonderful. We are in modern times, and color has been leaching out of the world. Two girls, who don’t “play” they LARP, are warriors both in their minds and in reality. Wisp gets transported Rainbow land and helps Twink to find the color that is missing. This book has action, it has heart, it has my approval. Other things to love. Rainbow Brite is drawn her age. She is covered up, even in the short skirts she has shorts on underneath. She was not made into a trite, or oversexed teen, but stays the brave and loving hero she has always been. I can not wait to read the rest of this series, and hope they keep it going.
#BBRC #MGGN
#GondorGirlGNChallenge
#KillYourTBR
#BBRC #MGGN
#GondorGirlGNChallenge
#KillYourTBR
August 4, 2019
I received this eARC from the lovely publishes through Netgalley. Thank you.
To be honest, going in I was super stoked to be delving back into my childhood. I ADORED this tv series as a young girl.
Though I did enjoy the reading, I have to agree with many others in saying that it just didn't quite five me that same nostalgic feeling that I was so excited about.
I thought the art was pretty good for the most part but Twink was not as cute and cuddly as he used to be. That small detail in itself took a bit away for me.
Also not sure who exactly the writing is for age wise. The story reads young but some other the words of conversations seem a bit too old for someone of the younger audience.
All in all, it was enjoyable but I guess I got my hopes up a little high in trying to compare it to the original tv series. And on that note, I must try to find these episodes to get that nostalgia back.
To be honest, going in I was super stoked to be delving back into my childhood. I ADORED this tv series as a young girl.
Though I did enjoy the reading, I have to agree with many others in saying that it just didn't quite five me that same nostalgic feeling that I was so excited about.
I thought the art was pretty good for the most part but Twink was not as cute and cuddly as he used to be. That small detail in itself took a bit away for me.
Also not sure who exactly the writing is for age wise. The story reads young but some other the words of conversations seem a bit too old for someone of the younger audience.
All in all, it was enjoyable but I guess I got my hopes up a little high in trying to compare it to the original tv series. And on that note, I must try to find these episodes to get that nostalgia back.
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